


Pomp and Circumstance

by Lynx22281



Category: Supernatural
Genre: AU, Drabble, Graduation, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-30
Updated: 2013-07-30
Packaged: 2017-12-21 22:14:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,121
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/905548
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lynx22281/pseuds/Lynx22281
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dean faces walking across the stage with no family or friends out in the crowd.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pomp and Circumstance

"Sammy, I really don’t wanna go,” Dean muttered grumpily as he walked around the living room in his sock feet, holding his cell phone to his ear. 

 

“C’mon, Dean. It’s your master’s degree. You’ve only been working on it for forever. You deserve to walk across that stage.” 

 

“What’s the point if nobody’s going to be there?” Dean asked, unable to help the petulant tone of his voice. None of his friends or family were able to make it to his graduation. Jess was about to pop out his nephew any day now and there were too many miles between California and Kansas for Sam to even fly in just long enough for the ceremony. Jo and Ash were in Hawaii on their honeymoon and somehow had talked Bobby and Ellen into going with them. Chuck was at a writers’ conference in New York, Garth was at a dental convention in Atlanta, and Charlie was at the annual LARP jubilee in Seattle. Dean was pretty pissed that he couldn’t go to the biggest LARP event of the year; Charlie had threatened to banish him from Moondoor if he didn’t go to his graduation. And Cas, well, he wasn’t scheduled to come home from Ramstein until July at the earliest. 

 

“In 20 years, you’ll regret not going,” Sam reasoned. 

 

Dean scoffed, unconvinced. 

 

“Just go. It’ll be worth it. Would you have let me miss my graduation from Law School just because you couldn’t be there?” 

 

Dean sighed. His brother was right, as usual. “Alright, but there better be beer afterwards, lots and lots of beer.” 

 

Sam chuckled. “Hang on a sec.” 

 

Dean heard a muffled conversation in the background. 

 

“Hey, man, I gotta go make a milkshake and onion ring run.” 

 

“Tell Jess she’s gonna give birth to a milkshake if she doesn’t stop.” 

 

Sam laughed. “Not a chance. But, anyway, congratulations, Dean. You know we all wish we could be there with you tonight.” 

 

“I know. Thanks, Sam,” he said softly. 

 

"Talk to you after the ceremony?” 

 

“If I’m sober,” he replied with a grin. 

 

After saying their goodbyes, Dean tossed his phone on the couch and stared at the black cap and gown hanging from the door of the coat closet. He wasn’t crazy about showing up to his own graduation with no entourage in tow, but this was one of those important life events that a person just couldn’t skip out on. With a huff that would make any 10-year-old proud, he dragged himself upstairs to get ready. 

 

***** 

 

Four hours later, Dean stood at the steps leading up to the stage, wearing his black mortar board and black gown with long, oblong sleeves. It was hot and uncomfortable, and he kinda wished he had gone commando under the polyester gown. He kept glancing out over the audience in the auditorium hoping to stumble on a familiar face watching for him, but the only faces he recognized were his classmates and professors. 

 

“Dean Campbell Winchester,” the dean of the school of education announced. 

 

Dean jogged up the steps towards the line of men and women decked out in their poufy academic regalia. He had no idea who any of them were; university administrators, he supposed. The first man in line shook his hand and handed him his degree in its presentation folder. Dean smiled and shook hands with two other people before getting to the table where a dozen powder blue-lined hoods were arranged. The tiny woman in charge of hooding the graduates barely came up to Dean’s arm pit. She gently placed her hand on his bicep and turned him to face the audience. 

 

He ducked his knees expecting the hood to come over his head, but instead there was a pause. A strange murmur arose from the crowd. Before Dean could wonder what was going on the dean spoke up. 

 

“We have a special guest with us to bestow Mr. Winchester his hood,” the dean said with a smile. “Mr. Winchester’s fiancée, Major Castiel Novak, has been stationed at Ramstein Air Force Base for the past three years and has just returned home from his tour.” 

 

Dean stared straight ahead, scared to move, scared that what he just heard was some really, really bad practical joke. He barely registered the hood lowering in front of his face. His face flushed and his hands started to shake. Somebody tall – definitely not tiny hood-lady – leaned forward against his back. 

 

A familiar deep voice spoke close to his ear. “Hello, Dean.” 

 

He whirled around on his heel and came face to face with a blue-eyed smirk. Dean’s breath caught in his chest as his eyes quickly searched over the man in front of him. Castiel was in his service dress blues with all his ribbons and insignias proudly displayed. Dean’s body thrummed with barely contained exhilaration at seeing Cas, at being able to reach out and touch him again. The audience erupted in wild applause and catcalls as Dean threw his arms around Castiel’s shoulders. Their heads came together, both of them losing their hats in the process. 

 

“I almost didn’t come.” Disbelief colored his voice when he finally found it. 

 

"Sam warned me,” Castiel said with a chuckle. 

 

“That little bitch, he knew? I’m gonna kill him!” Dean scowled as he leaned back to look at Cas again. 

 

Castiel just smiled and broke their on-stage embrace to scoop their hats up from the floor. He grabbed hold of Dean’s hand, ushering the newly graduated man off of the stage to the still thunderous clapping of the spectators. They paused at the bottom of the steps for the photographer to snap pictures before Dean tugged Castiel straight for a door. 

 

“What about the rest of the ceremony?” he asked, his dress shoes squeaking on the floor as he jogged to keep up with Dean. 

 

“Don’t care. Got my picture taken to satisfy Sammy. Need you in the back of the Impala, now,” Dean replied with a wicked grin. 

 

Castiel laughed as they ran outside, beelining for the huge black sedan parked well away from the other cars. Dean pushed him up against the passenger’s side door, unable to wait any longer, and crushed his lips against Castiel’s. 

 

When they finally came up for air, panting heavily against each other’s mouths, Castiel smiled. “Glad you came?” 

 

“Best graduation ever.” Dean pecked at his lips, fumbling to get the door open. 

 

By the time the ceremony was officially over and people started winding their way through the massive parking lot, the graduate and his airman were basking in a half-clothed afterglow, slumped together in the back seat of the Impala listening to classic rock playing softly from the radio and grinning like idiots.

**Author's Note:**

> I took the opportunity to include one of my headcanons in this story - middle names. Ever since the whole Men of Letters deal, I've decided that Sam's middle name is Henry because he takes after the intellectual side of the family and Dean's middle name is Campbell because he takes after the hunting side of the family. Of course, that's not to say that Dean isn't smart, he is hella smart! Firstborn sons are often given their mother's maiden name as a middle name, and I truly believe Dean would have been a mama's boy if Mary had lived.


End file.
